Under the Influence
by keelhaulrose
Summary: Hermione has fallen in love fast... too fast, and Severus suspects she's been given a love potion. With her wedding fast approaching can he discover what is going on and help her stop taking the potion before it's too late, and possibly get the girl himself in the process? Eventual SS/HG
1. Chapter 1

**Hello, my lovelies.**

**This fic was written for a fic exchange over at Granger Enchanted. It's complete, so I will be posting the chapters rather quickly (there's only four). It was written for the wonderful ArtemisGoddess.  
**

**This fic involves a coerced relationship. That's a trigger for some people, so I'm warning.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. I am not profiting from this.**

"Good morning, Severus!" Hermione cheerfully greeted her colleague as she hung up her jacket.

"You are awfully chipper for a Monday morning," he replied in his annoyed-sounding drawl, without looking up from the cauldron he was bent over. They had been working together for nearly four years, brewing healing potions for use in St. Mungos, and he knew from experience that as good a worker as she was, she was prone to the Monday morning blues, which wasn't uncommon.

"I am well aware of how much you enjoy having chipper people around. However, this morning I have good reason to be in good spirits," she beamed, setting up her workstation across from his. "Ron asked me to marry him."

His eyes shot up to look at the large ring now adorning her left ring finger. "That was quick," he muttered, turning back to his work.

"It's only been three months, but it feels right." she shrugged. "It is a bit quicker than I thought I would get engaged, but I can see this really working out."

He grunted, but didn't reply. The less he heard about Hermione's love life, the better. Just before she had started to see the Weasley boy, Severus had been considering asking her out on a date, but he had waited just a little too long. Her announcement that she was seeing Ron had caught him by surprise; he had known they remained friends after the Battle, as she had with Potter and the whole Weasley clan, but she had never mentioned viewing him as anything more than just a friend. From her constant prattle and what she had spoken about her friends, he would have thought her interest leaned more towards an older Weasley, possibly Charlie or George, but not Ron, who still seemed to have a knack at making her angry. Seemingly overnight, Ron had gone from a friend to the love of Hermione's life. Severus was wary of how quickly she had fallen for him, but not having much experience in serious relationships himself, he wasn't sure if her sudden fascination was out of the norm for a young couple.

Still, he watched her closely throughout the day. She didn't stop smiling, though she didn't bother going over wedding details with him. Spending at least eight hours a day, five days a week together, they naturally got to talking every so often about their personal lives, but she knew he wouldn't be interested in wedding details. However, he was a bit curious about something, so after lunch he started prying her for information.

"Do you have a date in mind yet?" he asked casually.

"We were thinking the twenty-ninth."

"Of this month?" he asked, pausing in his surprise.

"You know me, Severus, I'm not a fussy person. I don't want a big wedding with all the frills. We plan on having a very small ceremony and dinner with our closest family and friends."

"His family alone makes any wedding large."

"Some of them aren't coming," she said softly.

"Really?" he questioned with an eyebrow raised. The Weasleys were known for supporting each other through thick and thin. For some of them to break ranks, save for Percy, was very unusual.

"George and Bill have both said they aren't willing to come."

"Are they both busy that day?"

"No, it's not that. They said that we're moving too fast. They thought I was pregnant at first," she added with a chuckle.

"How is that funny?"

"It's just something," she murmured, and her cauldron started bubbling. The conversation ended quickly so she could attend to her work, but Severus' mind was in overdrive. Bill and George refusing to go to the wedding of their youngest brother to a girl they both knew for years certainly sounded like something wasn't sitting right with them. Perhaps he could stop by the joke shop on his way home...

_No,_ he thought, shaking his head. _Granger has made her decision. She's an intelligent young woman. She has her reasons for getting married so quickly, and if she wants you to know she'll tell you. If she's making a mistake, it's hers to make. _

Severus vowed not to get involved any more than he already was. It wasn't his place to pry. Though, deep down, he still wondered if there was more to Hermione's relationship than met the eye.

XXXXXXX

The next Monday morning Severus had sincerely expected Hermione to arrive in a bad mood. Over the weekend a reporter from the Prophet had pictured Ron with a leggy blonde at a Quidditch game, and things did not look benign. He expected to see the dark side of Hermione's famous temper in full force, so he was shocked when she came in with a smile across her face.

"Should I be sending a search party out for Weasley's body?" he asked.

"What would give you that idea?" she asked, sounding genuinely surprised.

"I would have thought you would have been a little more upset this morning."

"Do you _want_ me in a bad mood?"

He sighed, deciding to stop beating around the bush. "Did you not see the Prophet yesterday?"

"I did."

He stopped his work, suddenly concerned for her. "Did you see the picture they ran of your affianced?"

"Yes," she replied, refusing to look up as she prepared her station.

"And yet you are not upset in Weasley's antics?"

"He explained everything to me," she said, starting to chop roots.

"I'm dying to hear this."

"She is the daughter of the Russian Minister of Magic. She wanted to be shown around the Ministry, and Kingsley asked Ron to do that. The Russian Minister thanked him for showing her around by giving them Quidditch tickets. That's all that was going on."

"Do you honestly believe that load of rubbish? That story is so thick it may have come out of Goyle's head."

"Ron wouldn't lie to me."

"Ron also wouldn't tell you that the girl happens to be Rose Zeller."

"Rose Zeller?" she asked softly.

"She started school four years after yourself; sorted into Hufflepuff."

"No," she shook her head, but sounded doubtful. "She was rounder, wasn't she? And she had brown hair."

"And no woman has managed to slim down and change their hair color before?"

"I think you're wrong." She shook her head.

He started at her, anger rushing over him. Without thinking he strode over to her, lifting her up by the elbow. "Look at me, Hermione," he ordered.

Reluctantly her face turned up towards his.

"Is he hurting you?" he demanded.

"What? No!"

"Did you do something to wrong him in the past?"

"Not hardly!" she protested, starting to sound angry herself.

"Are you pregnant with his child?"

"No! Why does everyone...?"

"I cannot believe your attitude because this is not like you, Hermione! Where is that girl from Hogwarts? The one who got so upset at the lack of her Defense education that she started an illicit club to learn spells? The one who punched Draco Malfoy in the face for daring to laugh at her friend's pain?"

"Why can't anyone see that he loves me?" she shouted at him. "Why does everyone have to question why we are moving so quickly, or imply that he's just using me?"

"Perhaps because that is just what it looks like? You, the good, respectable, loyal girlfriend, who, for some incomprehensible reason, refuses to see what is laid so plainly in front of your face. What the hell happened to you, Hermione? You refused to speak to the boy for months when he was seeing that wretched Brown girl, but when he takes another girl out on a date while engaged to you and gets the pictures published in the paper, you make excuses and believe a wilder story than even Lockhart could dream up?"

"Stop it!" she looked up at him in defiance. "Ron loves me. He wouldn't cheat on me. If he was out with another girl, there's obviously a reason."

He inhaled to keep the argument going, and there was something on her breath that gave him pause. Was it parchment? Or was it the intoxicating aroma of a well-stocked potions cabinet, and the deep, woodsy scent of the solitary sanctuary of an old forest? These were the the scents given off when he smelled Amortentia. Suddenly everything clicked into place. Hermione's sudden loyalty to Weasley, and her fierce defense of him and their love wasn't a leftover schoolgirl crush. Someone, obviously linked to Ron if it wasn't Ron himself, was slipping her a love potion. Few knew Hermione better than Potter and Weasley. Ron would know that Hermione didn't give up on something easily. If he could keep her long enough to marry her, maybe give them a few good months together, if her sudden infatuation with him wore off after that, she would attribute it to the so-called 'Honeymoon Phase' being over, and work to keep the marriage together. She didn't give up on anything, especially something as important as her wedding vows, even if she wasn't happy. And she would blame herself for her sudden shift in feelings.

Hermione spun and stormed off into the stores. He watched her go, and immediately thought himself a fool. Hermione was a Potions Mistress. She had studied all sorts of potions, including Amortentia, and would know if someone had slipped some into a drink by the distinctive odor. It would be nearly impossible to slip her a love potion without her knowledge.

Still, something wasn't right. Hermione was never one to do something on a whim, especially something as big as marriage. He vowed to watch her for a while, and do as much digging as he could. There had to be an explanation of Hermione's sudden change of behavior, and he was determined to figure out the puzzle.

XXXXXXXXX

Hermione didn't speak to Severus the rest of the day, and left at exactly five o' clock despite it meaning that she had to put off her batch of Pepper-Up potion for another day. She had never expected Severus Snape to be happy about the news of her engagement, but to accuse Ron of hitting her and cheating on her? That was beyond the pale. How dare he! She had waited a year for him, giving him hints of how interested she was in him, and he ignored her advances, but when she's taken by another man all of a sudden he has an interest in her personal life?

"Too late, Severus Snape!" she shouted into her empty flat. The outburst did nothing to stem her anger, so she stomped through the flat, coming to the kitchen to make herself a pot of tea. The tea took some of the edge off, and she decided to take the drink out to her patio. The morning's Prophet was still on the table, and she picked it up on her way out. She slowly sipped the tea, and when half of it was gone, decided it was time to take another look at the pictures.

The Prophet didn't dare conceal their delight at the scandal in the making. A picture of Ron leading the young woman by the hand into the stadium was prominently placed on the front page. The girl was not easily identifiable by her face; most of it was covered with a hat and sunglasses. Also on the front page was the mention of Kingsley meeting with "several foreign dignitaries". That made her feel a little better, as it backed up part of Ron's story. She took a deep breath before turning to the inside page, which promised more of the developing scandal.

The pictures on that page weren't nearly as close and well-defined as the one on the front page, but there was little doubt Ron was sitting quite close to the attractive young woman, and that he was certainly not keeping his hands to himself. One would be resting on her forearm or leg; occasionally he'd touch her face or shoulder. While they didn't kiss, they certainly didn't seem like a platonic couple.

She closed the paper and shook her head. Ron loved her. She knew it. She hadn't doubted for a moment since they had started seeing each other. She vividly remembered the day they got together. The night before had been filled with lust-filled dreams of her former friend. She woke up in the morning to knocking: Ron was at the door with breakfast, needing a sympathetic ear over some frustrations he'd had with his job, and Hermione, ever the dutiful friend, settled in to listen and offer advice if needed. But she couldn't focus on the story. She could only focus on Ron; his bright eyes, lopsided smile, everything down to his long fingers were enticing her to the point of distraction. Ron seemed to catch on fairly quickly to the fact that she wasn't listening to him. Somehow it turned into a confession from both of them: he admitted to wanting her for a long time, she saying that the attraction had hit her hard, but now that she felt it, she couldn't imagine how she didn't see it before. The attraction quickly led them to the bedroom. After, she was convinced she had something she would want for life. Ron seemed to think the same. He spoke about how much his family liked her, and how they had been hoping that he would to give up his carefree lifestyle for a girl like her, and now that he had her, he could see why they were pushing him in that direction.

Still, it was unsettling to see pictures of him with a pretty girl. After the war, Ron had gone through a playboy phase, moving through girls quickly, spending the money the Golden Trio had made from book deals and payments for their deeds from the Ministry on luxury items like a large house, new broomsticks, and choice seats at every World Cup. It wasn't a bother to her before, they were each going through the sudden fame in their own way, and while she and Harry seemed content to move away from the public eye as much as possible, Ron, who had never had much and had always been Harry's second-fiddle, happily spent his money and enjoyed his time in the limelight. But the fervor over anything related to the Golden Trio had died down. Requests for appearances had started to slow, books had been released years prior, and the Wizarding World was starting to move past the dark war with Voldemort. Ron seemed to realize that his name wasn't as important as it once was, and this was when he started seriously dating Hermione. The news had whipped up interest in the Trio again, and Ron was enjoying another bout in the limelight. Hermione, however, knew Ron was just being Ron. He may be enjoying the limelight, but she really should draw a line in the sand. The longer she sat there, the more the picture started to irritate her, and by the time she would normally be having dinner, there was anger coursing through her veins.

She heard her door open and close, and knew Ron had let himself in. They were going to be married soon, but they weren't living together, and the apartment was still her space. Part of her wished he would at least knock.

"Evening, love," he kissed her forehead and sat next to her.

"We need to talk," she murmured. "About the paper."

"Sure," he nodded.

"The girl, in the paper. She wasn't really the Russian Minister's daughter, was she?"

"What? Yes, she was..."

"Someone told me she was Rose Zeller," she interrupted, studying his face.

He swallowed hard and averted his eyes.

"Ronald, was that Rose?"

"Yes," he replied in a whisper.

"Why did you lie to me?" she asked evenly, though her blood had started to boil.

"Because I was afraid of your reaction. Rose was having a bad day. I found her crying in the hall outside Courtroom Ten. She apparently messed up bad on some paperwork. Harry was unable to go to the game, so I offered to take her. There's nothing else to it."

"Where were you last night? You normally come back after games."

"I went out for drinks with Robbins. You know, the Chaser. I talked to him about training camps. I was thinking of trying out next year."

There was something in his eyes, something that made it hard for her to believe him.

"Did you sleep with Rose?" she asked.

"No!" he denied quickly, face turning beet red. "I would never... Hermione, I love you!"

"I'm starting to wonder if you really do," she hissed before standing up and storming into the house.

"Wait, Hermione," he called, hurrying after her. "Hermione, please. I didn't do anything. What can I do to prove that to you?"

"What could you do?" she snapped, hands on her hips. "I don't know, how about not going out with some pretty young girl, holding her hand and putting your hand on her leg, especially not in full view of the press? How about not disappearing for a night after being seen with that girl? How about not feeding me some cock-and-bull story about her identity, Ronald? Is that clear enough for you?"

Her clock chimed six, and she scoffed before Ron could answer and walked through the house to her bathroom. She got her pills down from the cabinet, one to counter the effects of her torture, one for the migraine she felt growing, and a birth control pill, and took them all with a quick drink of water. She turned back to tell Ron to get out so she had time to think to find him staring at her from the hall.

"You're still taking them?" he asked, nodding towards the birth control pills.

"Yeah, why wouldn't I?" she asked, confused. "I'm not ready to be a mum."

"I get it," he said slowly, studying her face.

"Ron, I think..." she started, but she cut herself off as she looked at him. Slowly her anger with him drained from her body. Ron could be an insensitive prat at times, but she knew that. She had no proof of his infidelity. She decided she could give him the benefit of the doubt.

"Yes, love?" he asked quietly.

"In the future, please remember that you are a taken man," she said softly, moving forward into his arms. "I don't want to have to pummel a girl for touching you."

He chuckled. "It won't happen again," he replied, kissing her forehead and causing her heart to flutter.


	2. Chapter 2

The next day, she went to work, deciding to act like Severus' outburst never happened. The tension between the two hung thick in the air all morning, and it wasn't until after lunch that he even bothered to speak to her.

"I apologize for what I said yesterday," he muttered while stirring a potion. She wasn't sure if he didn't sound sincere, or if it was just his way of speaking that made her not believe the words.

"Thank you," she replied slowly.

"It seemed a little suspicious to me that you fell for him as quickly as you did."

"You're not the only one who thinks that."

"Can I ask why you feel the need to marry so quickly?"

"Well, it was Ron's idea more than mine. It seemed so important to him, I didn't have the heart to say no."

He stared at her incredulously. "Wouldn't you think that something as important and binding as marriage might take a little more consideration than 'I didn't have the heart to say no'? What else are you going to give him because you would rather not tell him no?"

"It's not like that, Severus!"

"Then tell me what it's like, Hermione? Because I cannot fathom why you would go along with this! Does any of it seem wrong to you?"

She bit her lip and looked down at her hands. "I have doubts, sometimes," she admitted softly. "But then, later, I'll look at him and remember how much I love him and how much I want to be with him, and they go away."

"Later?"

"Only a few times. Usually in the afternoons, when I've had a bad day and I have some time alone to think I start to wonder what I'm getting myself into. But he'll come over after work, and we'll have dinner together, and everything will be alright."

"Does he get your drinks for dinner? Pour your wine while you're laying out the food, perhaps?"

"No. Not usually. I get most of the things together."

"Does he make your breakfast in the morning?"

"No. I'm up first, so I make breakfast."

"A drink after work or dinner?"

"What are you getting at, Severus?"

"Nothing," he replied hastily, slamming his book shut. "I have a budget meeting upstairs. I'll see you tomorrow."

She watched as he swept from the room. Severus was asking some personal questions, like he suspected something. But what? She mulled the question over for the rest of the afternoon. He was especially curious about their dining habits. That thought led her to the obvious guess about his suspicion. A Potions Master, and ex-spy, would certainly be concerned by someone's sudden change of behavior. And a potion, more specifically a love potion, would account for her sudden, intense feelings for Ron. But she couldn't, _wouldn't_, believe that Ron would stoop that low. What would he gain by tricking her into loving him?

She went home early that afternoon, unable to contain her now-growing suspicion anymore. Ron was working late that night and she didn't expect to see him until well after dinner. So she meticulously went through everything she ingested on a regular basis, sniffing each one deeply and casting diagnostic spells, pausing only at six in the evening to take her pills. After, she felt more confident as her search continued to reveal nothing. After four hours, she had searched everything, and she chuckled to herself. How could she have ever thought ill of Ron like that? He was a good man; he had no motive to give her a potion. Severus was just showing his paranoid side. When she heard the door open she rushed to meet her fiancé, vowing to not let Severus' suspicions get to her again.

XXXXXXXXX

Severus entered his small house hidden in a forest in the northern part of the country and immediately went for a drink. He was now more convinced than ever that Hermione was being slipped a potion, and he wasn't sure what he could do about the situation. He went over several options. First, and least appealing to him, was laying his suspicions out on the table, telling her point-blank that he was sure she was under the influence of Amortentia. The first problem with that was that if she really was taking the potion, she would never consider that Ron was doing such a thing, and would get angry and defensive. They shared an office voluntarily. There was another room where Hermione could do her work, one she could easily make inaccessible to him. They worked together because each of them craved a bit of human interaction during the day, and as brewing and research was generally lonely work, their options were each other or no one. Confronting her might earn him solitary confinement, though that option might be preferable to seeing her happy with him or, God forbid, carrying his child.

Next would be trying to slip her an antidote. If she took one, her head would be clear, and she would realize how insane her courtship sounded. Of course, the antidote was quite potent, both in taste and smell, and it wouldn't be masked by even the strongest of drink. She would know it well, and would most likely be irate with any attempt to give it to her. Though it might be easier to get her to take it later in the day, when she seemed more open to suggestions that something might be out of place.

Finally would be reverting back to his old spy ways. This idea was unappealing as he didn't like the idea of violating Hermione's privacy, not to mention he feared her more than he did the Dark Lord. Voldemort might have tortured him then killed him, but Hermione was too cunning to make things that simple. He wasn't sure how she'd make him pay if she caught him spying, but he was sure the Aurors would want to know for future interrogation purposes. That said, he was one of the best spies in recent history if he did say so himself, and if anyone could move around Hermione without raising her suspicions, it would be him.

He sighed and poured himself a double. Being a spy was exhausting, but this particular case had a much different reward than his last assignment. Maybe, and he tried to suppress any feeling of hope over this, if he managed to get her to realize what was going on, she would leave Ron. And if he could work up the courage to ask her out, he might have another chance at her.

XXXXXXXXXX

That Friday Severus decided to make his first move. He invited Hermione and Ron out to dinner with 'an old friend', who he claimed was visiting for a Defense convention they were both attending that weekend. She taught Defense at Durmstrang, was his contact who kept an eye on Karkaroff's recruiting during the first war, and she kept him appraised at what was going on at the school during Voldemort's second rise to power. Emiliya was intelligent, beautiful, accomplished, and as interested in him, or any man for that matter, about as much as a common garden slug. Severus had once heard her name come up in a Death Eater meeting, and warned her she was under suspicion. She went into hiding the day before Yaxley was sent to 'take care of her'. She maintained that Severus saved her life, and if he ever needed anything, she bade him call her. She probably wasn't expecting a fake date, but she was thrilled to play the spy game again, even if it were just meddling in a young woman's love life.

"How do I look?" she slid up silently behind him, and he turned to greet her with a smile. She might not be interested in him, but that didn't mean she couldn't act, and she was certainly dressed for the part. Her dark hair was pulled back into a simple knot, though a few wavy tendrils were loose and falling onto her elegant, long neck. She had porcelain skin, striking green eyes, a large chest that was overflowing the top of her dress. Her mile-long legs were made taller by four-inch heels and an obscenely short skirt.

"Enchanting," he smiled, nodding to her.

"Am I seducing the boy?"

"Seducing?" he smirked, eyebrow raising. "You haven't switched teams, have you?"

"Not hardly, and my girlfriend vould probably be upset vith me vor speaking in such vay, but it is all part of job here, yes?"

"That it is, and yes, you may flirt with the boy. A little doubt in her mind could only help Hermione at this point."

"You must care vor girl."

"She is a good friend."

"No, she is more to you. You vant the girl, yes?"

"I do not want to do anything when she's with another man."

"Is that vhy you are trying to be breaking them up?"

"I am merely looking out for her well-being."

"You are playing dirty, Severus," she accused with a playful smirk.

"I am not the one giving the girl a potion to keep a hold of her."

"Severus!" he heard Hermione call, and a moment later they were joined by Hermione and Ron, the latter of whom was making no show of trying to hide his lustful gaze at Emiliya. But Severus' eyes were on Hermione. Where Emiliya could turn heads with short, tight clothes, Hermione's radiant beauty would draw eyes to her for a different reason. She was poised and confident, with just enough of a hint of sex in her dress.

Emiliya was the instant gratification; Hermione was the long-term investment that would pay off tenfold in the end. And it was quite obvious which Ron preferred at the moment.

"Miss Granger," he drawled lifting her hand to his lips. "You look exquisite tonight."

She blushed. "Thank you, Severus. You look quite dashing yourself."

He held back his retort, as he was wearing nothing more than a nicer version of his everyday robes.

"May I introduce Emiliya Raev?" he placed a hand on Emiliya's back and guided her towards Granger and Weasley. "She's the Defense teacher at Durmstrang."

"It is a pleasure to meet you both," Emiliya smiled, flashing dazzling white teeth. She thrust her hand out at Ron palm-down and liked her lips. Severus held back a laugh. One could question much of Emiliya's background, but there was never a doubt about her abilities as an actress. Ron immediately took the bait, hand jerking out to grab hers a little too tightly, letting his lips linger a little too long when he kissed the back, eyes alight with excitement as they repeatedly swept over her body. Severus looked at Hermione, whose jaw had tightened and she stared, anger radiating from her. Ron was oblivious to his fiancée's mood, and Severus decided to take advantage.

"May I?" he asked, offering his arm to Hermione.

"Yes," she replied sharply, placing a hand on his arm and allowing him to lead her into the restaurant. Behind them they could clearly hear a flirtatious Emiliya holding Ron up, and the redheaded boy made no attempt to hurry things along.

"She seems... nice," Hermione muttered, unable to mask the irritation in her voice.

"You don't really believe that, do you?" he replied, keeping his face blank.

They checked in at the hostess stand and were led through the restaurant towards a table.

"To be honest, I don't," she continued under her breath.

"Any particular reason?"

"Perhaps it has something to do with the fact that she's flirting with my fiancé."

"Why don't you put a stop to it?"

"Why don't you? It doesn't bother you that your date is openly flirting with another man?"

"What makes you think Emiliya is my date?" he asked with a raised eyebrow.

"What woman dresses like _that_ if she's uninterested in the man she is with?" she scoffed, looking up at him, and he withheld a reply, rather just let a coy smile play across his lips. They arrived at the table, and he held the chair for Hermione, who dropped into it in a huff. Ron seated himself, leaving Severus to hurry around the table and hold the seat across from Hermione for Emiliya.

"Many thanks, Severus," the Bulgarian purred as she lowered herself into the chair, making sure she bent low enough as she did so to give Ron a show, and Weasley was lapping it up. They placed their orders and made small talk until their drinks arrived.

"So, Ronald, vot is it that you do?" she asked with a flirtatious smile.

"Oh, I'm an Auror," he stammered, turning eagerly towards her.

"An Auror?" she sounded in awe and Severus had to hold back a chuckle. "That sounds dangerous."

"It's not too rough," he smiled.

"Ronald works very hard," Hermione cut in, putting a hand on Ron's. "Sometimes it's difficult for me to get him home."

"It shouldn't be too difficult, if you play your cards right," Emiliya sneered.

"And what is that supposed to mean?" she snapped.

"Vhy vould you think it means anything?" she asked innocently. "Just some friendly advice, girl-to-girl, vell, woman-to-girl."

Hermione's jaw dropped. "Perhaps we should go, Ron," she muttered angrily.

"Why? We don't want to be rude," Ron protested quickly.

"Well, of course you don't," she hissed. "With her showing off every asset she has."

"Perhaps a change of subject is in order," Severus swiftly intervened, then he turned to Emiliya, holding a hand out to her, and she daintily placed hers in his. "Darling, Miss Granger managed to ensnare Mister Weasley after just three months. She is obviously doing something right, and it is rude to imply otherwise."

"My apologies," Emiliya smiled up at him like a lovesick schoolgirl. "I do believe I've had too much vine at the reception this afternoon."

Ron's watch beeped, ending the conversation, though Hermione was staring daggers at him, and Severus was sure an argument for the ages was waiting for him at home. Ron was digging in his jacket pocket, and he held out a small box to Hermione.

"I didn't want you to be late," he murmured.

She snatched the box and opened it, revealing a single pill and a packet of pills. She popped a pill out of the packet and took both quickly with water before handing the box back to Ron. Their first course arrived, and by the time the conversation struck back up Hermione was a different person. She didn't seem to mind Ron's obvious flirting, and her anger at him had disappeared. She touched him as much as possible, laughed at every one of his jokes even if they weren't funny, and sang his praises. By the end of the night, Severus was irritated, quite sure that Hermione had been given another dose of love potion, but couldn't figure out how Weasley had managed to give it to her. After Hermione and Ron had left Emiliya sighed, leaning against him.

"You owe me a drink for this, Severus."

"Let me pick your brain, and I will pay for both of us to get pissed," he replied, pointing towards a bar at the end of the street.

She paused long enough to lengthen her skirt and conjure a cardigan to cover her chest. "It vas interesting, I vill give you that."

"What did you think?"

"I think the pills are the key. I know the vun, it is a pill for the after-effects of the Cruciatus Curse, is it not?"

"Yes. I take the same one."

"Pills are relatively new to our vorld. Ve have you and Hermione to thank for that, if my sources tell me correctly."

"Potions take up much more space than pills. And you must deal with taste."

"I am not disagreeing with you, Severus. The first vun you created was the very type of pill she took tonight."

"There are a lot of people who suffered the Cruciatus Curse during the war."

"Again, not disparaging you. I am just saying it is new science, vot you are doing. Not many potions have been made and approved for use."

"Not in the magical world, but Muggles..."

"There is a reason ve are taking potions instead of Muggle pills, you know that," she sighed, irritatedly. "Muggle pills are not as effective in our bodies. Our magic interferes. So vot potions have been converted into pill form?"

"The one for the Cruciatus, one for migraines, a Pepper-Up pill, and one for impotence."

"Obviously, Hermione does not need the latter two, and is on the first. So the other pill she is taking is for migraines..."

"No," he interrupted, shaking his head. "I take the same pill. It doesn't come in a pack like that."

"That pack is interesting," she murmured, lost in thought. "It looks like a pack of Muggle birth control pills, but Hermione is too intelligent to be taking that. It vould be too risky for a vitch to take if she vere sleeping with a vizard."

"Then why would she take one?"

"Maybe she does not know?"

"The number of things Hermione Granger does not know about our world could probably be counted on one hand. I sincerely doubt she doesn't know that fact; she would research anything before putting it into her body. And if the pill is really a love potion, wouldn't she be running the risk of getting pregnant?"

"You know as vell as I do there are vays for men to take their own precautions."

"I just don't see how she'd be taking a pill without doing thorough research."

"Perhaps that pill is the clue you are looking for?" she raised her eyebrows.

"I sincerely doubt Ronald Weasley has the intelligence to turn a love potion into a pill form."

"Vhy not? He vas friends vith Hermione before this, yes?"

"Of course. The little bastard has been friends with Hermione since eleven."

"And Hermione sometimes takes her vork home vith her?"

"Obviously. We both must, especially if we are to keep up on our research."

"So it vould have been sitting around her house, ready for anyone to read the moment she let her guard down. She is smart enough to vard her house against enemies or unknown persons, but she would never keep out a friend, yes?"

"She is trusting to a fault," he nodded.

"How long do you think it vould take someone to copy everything she had regarding your vork?"

"An Auror trained to do such a thing as espionage? One minute. Maybe less."

"The time it would take, say, to use the bathroom or get a drink, perhaps?"

He closed his eyes and sighed. "But Weasley wouldn't understand what the information meant, let alone be able to make a pill through our method."

"He might not, but he is an Auror. Does he not have access to people that may be able to interpret even your horrible penmanship?"

A plan was already forming in his mind, though he smiled down at her. "I do believe I owe you a drink," he smirked, holding open the door of the bar for her.


	3. Chapter 3

The Monday after their dinner found Hermione acting cold towards him, though that wasn't completely unexpected. The first words out of her mouth did catch him off-guard, however.

"How was the rest of your night with the bimbo?" she asked softly, as if she were hoping he wouldn't hear.

"Now that's not very nice, Miss Granger," he admonished, looking down to hide his smirk.

"I don't care. She was all over Ron."

"She was fucking with him. She had no interest in Ron whatsoever."

"She put on a hell of an act..."

"Yes. She did. She is the type of woman who would be more interested in you than me or Ron."

Hermione's mouth dropped in surprise. "Then why was she flirting with him?"

"Maybe she wished to show you that he has wandering eyes."

"You set this up, didn't you?" she accused, slamming a book on the table.

"Perhaps I did," he replied coldly.

"How many ways can I ask you to stop interfering with my relationship?"

"Not enough."

"Stop. I mean it, Severus. He wouldn't have done anything if that hussy did not flirt with him while half-dressed..."

"If my memory serves me correctly I did not set up anything with Rose Zeller, and the result was the same."

"He didn't sleep with Rose."

"Did he tell you that?"

"Well, I wasn't there with them..."

"Then perhaps I should take you upstairs to be admitted to the long-term ward as the victim of some befuddlement charm gone bad. You've obviously lost your mind."

"Stop, Severus..."

"No, Hermione, I will not stop. Not until you realize that he is obviously tricking you into staying in this relationship."

"I'm in for a long, annoying day, then, aren't I?"

"What were the pills you took?" he asked.

"I hardly think that's any of your business."

"I know the one is the Cruciatus pill. What's the other one?"

"I'm not telling you."

"Emiliya says they looked like birth control pills."

"Emiliya can take her thoughts and shove them up her..."

"She also told me that Muggle birth control pills are not as effective for witches."

"Mine are for witches."

"I wasn't aware we had worked on putting a contraceptive potion into a pill."

"We didn't. The Ministry did."

"And where the hell did they get the process for conversions?"

"I don't..."

"Only two people know, and they're both in this room. We both hold the patent for the process, if you sold it to the Ministry without my approval..."

"I didn't. I don't know how they got it."

"Why is the Ministry even involved in making contraceptive pills?"

"Ron says the pill was developed by the Unspeakables. They're running a trial on Ministry witches to see if it works properly."

"You are not a Ministry witch."

"Well spotted. Ron got me in for the study."

"When was this?"

"Right before we started seeing each other."

"And he just approached you with them?"

"He overheard me talking to Ginny. I said I didn't like the taste of the potion, but I took it because I'm afraid I'll get caught up in a moment and forget a spell. A week later, Ron approached me with the paperwork to enter the study."

"Did you keep the paperwork?"

"No. I was supposed to get a copy, but they must have misplaced..."

"Did you have to visit a Healer before starting the study?"

"Well, no..."

"Must you visit a Healer to track your progress?"

"After six months. I am to track my cycle, report any irregular symptoms, and perform a weekly pregnancy test. Then I see my Healer and give her some paperwork to fill out after she's examined me."

"When did you start seeing Ron in relation to the study?"

Hermione paused, studying him. He was sure in that moment that she figured out why he was questioning her, and expected her to admonish him with another defense of her beloved. Instead, she took a deep breath and replied slowly. "The day after he gave me the first pack of pills. I was touched he went through such trouble for me."

He sighed, and buried his nose in his notes, scribbling gibberish on the margins of his work. He was convinced that the pills contained the love potion. He just now had to prove it. He knew it would have to involve Hermione in some way soon, and he would have to approach her late in their work day, when the potion was starting to wear off and she was more open to suggestions that something was off about her relationship. Time was of the essence. Once she stopped taking the pills, the effect would eventually wear off, but he had to act before she was married, and things got too complicated.

XXXXXXXXXXX

The remnants of a hangover pounded in his temples as he knocked on the large front door of Malfoy Manor. He was not a heavy drinker, but returning to the Manor, and the memories of the Dark Lord that it contained, was enough to drive any man to drink. The only reason he wasn't currently drunk was because he still had some level of respect for the Malfoys. Lucius was a great many things, but above all he was a model Slytherin. After the war, he threw enough money around to make the Wizengamot look favorably on his family, and they were all spared the harshest of punishments. After two years of house arrest in their palatal estate, they were released on parole. As long as they stayed away from trouble, they had nothing to worry about, and Lucius spared no time worming his way back into the good graces of the Ministry. Before long, it was business as usual for the elder Malfoy, and he could often be found stalking the halls of the Ministry, though, this time, his agenda was saving the reputation of the Malfoy name.

"Master Snape." A House-elf opened the door and bowed low. One of the first shows of remorse for their crimes had been working out a payment plan with their House-elves, as well as giving them time off and bringing by a Healer when one was ill, not to mention doing away with cruel punishments. This fact alone had certainly endeared Hermione to the family, and before she started seeing Ron, she and Draco had formed as close a friendship as they could under the circumstances. While they would never be on the level of her friendship with Potter, she often had him over for dinner, drinks, and talking and vice versa.

"Good afternoon," he replied. "I am here to see Lucius."

"He is expecting you," the elf nodded before leading him to the sitting room. Lucius was expecting his visit, two glasses of firewhiskey already waiting on the small table between his two favorite chairs.

"Severus!" Malfoy smiled. "It's been too long."

"We saw each other three weeks ago," Severus reminded him, taking a seat.

"That was work," Lucius chuckled.

"You did not make the distinction."

"Must you always be so stubborn? Don't answer that. How are things going?"

"Things are quite interesting, and I will admit that I asked to meet you today, because I need to leverage your influence in the Ministry."

"Ill-performing potion you still wish to push through?" Lucius asked, eyebrow near his hairline.

"Like I would ever... No, this is something much different. I do believe my work has been stolen, and is being used by someone in the Ministry."

"Really?" he frowned.

"It has come to my attention that a young woman of my acquaintance is taking birth control pills designed for witches. She informed me that she is participating in a Ministry study out of the Department of Mysteries. As of right now, there is no such pill on the market, and no one has approached me, requesting permission to use my work to start converting potions to pill form."

"That does sound problematic. What would you like me to do?"

"I would like for you to verify such a study exists, and if you do, who is running it, so I know whose career to destroy."

Lucius nodded, a wicked smile playing across his lips. "That will hardly be a challenge, Severus. I'll have the information for you by the end of the week."

"Thank you."

"Now that business is out of the way, let's talk about the more important issue."

"Which would be...?" he asked slowly.

"Who is this young woman, and how, exactly, did you become privy to her contraceptive habits?" he sneered.

"Jealous, old man?"

"Hardly. But it would provide Narcissa hours of gossip, and I do so love to make her happy."

"I think you have information enough to loosen her lips," he smirked.

"One day, Severus, someone will crack that shell you live in."

"Someone may already have," he murmured before taking a sip of his firewhiskey.

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

Hermione hated visiting the Ministry. After seeing what they were doing to Muggleborns during the war, she hardly had the stomach to step foot in the place. But occasionally, she found it necessary, when filing a patent, or applying to bring a dangerous ingredient into the country. Still, she had not stepped foot in the place beyond business since the war ended. But Severus had planted the seed of doubt, and despite her heart telling her there was nothing wrong and to ignore the miserable old bastard, her head was telling her a quick check couldn't hurt. She took a lift to Level 2 and headed towards the Auror offices, keeping her eyes on the carpet.

"Hermione!" Padma Patil smiled as she approached. Padma was an assistant, doing paperwork all day for the Aurors. She also knew where each one was at all times.

"Hullo, Padma. How are you?"

"I'm doing well. I've been seeing Cameron Boyle for the last three months."

"A Slytherin?" she raised an eyebrow, but smiled. "How is it going?"

"Fantastic."

"That's good."

"Ron isn't here. He's on a training today. Didn't he tell you?"

"Yes. That's not why I'm here. Are you part of the study?"

"What study?" she looked confused.

"Contraceptive potion put into pill form. Someone told me that one of the Unspeakables put it together. Severus is having fits; he thinks our work was stolen."

"You're a brave woman for being willing to work with an angry Severus Snape. And I haven't heard of a study like that," she shook her head.

"Really? Not at all?"

"No one approached me or anything. Hang on, I'll ask a few of the girls in administration." She stood, hurrying from the area. Hermione made sure the coast was clear then started to wander through the desks. It wasn't hard to find Ron's work area; it was covered in pictures of the Chudley Cannons. She thumbed through his planner, and found nothing very interesting other than a stag night she didn't know about. Looking around, she noticed he had pictures, of his friends, of him with celebrities and Quidditch stars, his family... but none of her. At least, none of her that didn't also include Harry. Doubts sprung to mind, and she couldn't banish them as she made her way quickly back to Padma's desk and tried to think of anything that would stop the tears that were threatening to fall.

"No one has heard anything," Padma came back, shaking her head. "But sometimes what the Unspeakables do doesn't make its way all the way up here. They don't like bothering the important people up here or something like that."

"Oh. Okay. Thanks."

"Is everything alright?"

"Yeah. Fine."

"Okay," she sounded unconvinced. "Owl me if you need something."

"I will." she nodded, walking off in a daze. She tried to think of anyone she knew who worked in some of the lower levels, but couldn't. Her brain didn't seem to want to respond to any command. It kept telling her to get away as quickly as possible. She didn't stop until she was at home, and she immediately went to pull the package of pills down. She stared at the innocuous looking bubble pack, a battle going on in her mind. Would Ron sink so low as to slip her something? Why would he? Why would he want to marry her knowing she was only doing so under the influence of a love potion? Didn't he remember Voldemort was only alive because Merope Gaunt had been giving Tom Riddle a potion?

She shook her head in disbelief. She had liked Ron for a very long time, and when those feelings faded she chalked it up to the same thing Ginny had gone through waiting for Harry. She came to a realization that nothing was going to happen, and she let herself move on emotionally. She had a healthy dating life, but with her insane work schedule and her devotion to her research, the relationships quickly fizzled.

Ron had gone through a wild streak after the war, but deep down he was a family man. He would want to settle down and start having children, she knew that. And all their friends and his family were getting married and having children. Ginny was trying to get pregnant, Bill and Fleur had young Victoria and another on the way, Percy's wife Audrey was due any day, even Luna was pregnant with twins. Seeing all them happy and in love and starting families; it was impossible not to think about it, even she was thinking it was time for her to start taking her relationships more seriously before starting to see Ron. Severus had started saying things, and she started seeing signs that she was more than likely misinterpreting. What the hell did Severus Snape know or care about their relationship?

Her watch chimed six, and after pausing for a long moment she popped a pill out.

_Ron would never do that to me, _she thought. _He has no reason. Severus isn't happy unless he's paranoid about something. I won't give in. He is just seeing things that aren't there._

_Right?_

XXXXXXXXXXXX

Two days later Severus worked late while Hermione went to go look at flowers for her wedding. He was just wrapping up and dreaming of a nice dinner alone when there was a knock on the door. Sighing, he leaned back in his chair.

"Enter!" he barked.

"Severus," Lucius swept into the room, helping himself to Hermione's seat. "How are you today?"

"The same as any other day, I suppose."

"Meaning, are you in an upbeat mood and would warmly welcome any guest, especially one bearing the information you asked for the other day?"

"I might be able to feign a warm welcome, Lucius, but if I were to appear upbeat you may want to get out of the way, as that signals that I have finally lost my mind and I'm likely to start hexing at random."

"Duly noted, old friend," Malfoy smirked. "One could hope."

"It is good to see you, Lucius. Do you fancy a bit of tea?" Severus forced politeness and a smile.

"That is the type of face that just put poison in someone's cup, so I'll decline. Instead, how about I placate you with news?"

"Getting to the short of it would be preferred."

"I have asked every contact I have who might have information about what the Unspeakables are doing, and not a single person has heard of this study that you asked about. In fact, I was told several times that if I were looking for someone who would be interested in making such a pill, I should seek you or Miss Granger out. I don't know where you got your information, Severus, but it appears faulty."

Severus exhaled. "That is not an unexpected bit of news." he murmured.

"Is it not?" Lucius asked, with raised eyebrows. "What is going on, Severus?"

"The young woman I spoke of has been acting quite oddly lately, and I have traced the most likely source of her odd behavior, which would be these supposed birth control pills."

"Supposed? I'm assuming you think otherwise."

"Naturally, I would have heard of anyone using my research, and very few people dare try to steal my work. I'm betting the girl is not getting a birth control pill at all, but rather a love potion hidden in pill form."

"Really?" he leaned forward, clearly interested. "That process is only known by you, is it not?"

"And Miss Granger. She helped me develop the process."

"Do you think she's the one who gave away the information?"

"Hardly. She's the victim."

"So someone stole your work to use against her?"

"Yes."

"She's been seeing that Weasley boy hasn't she?"

"Yes. Since, coincidentally, the day after she started taking the pills."

"Have you brought this to her attention?"

"Yes. But she's bound by the love potion. She won't think ill of him, though in the afternoons, when it's been longest since her previous dose, she is more open to suggestions that something may be amiss."

"That must be why she ignored his obvious indiscretion at the Quidditch game."

"She claims he was merely consoling the girl. She sticks with the story despite my having proven the boy lied several times."

"I do not have nearly the experience with Miss Granger that you do, but that does not sound like the girl I have witnessed."

"It isn't. And it is imperative that I make her realize what's going on before her wedding. The boy is insisting on a magical binding."

"Those are quite difficult to reverse."

"Damn near impossible, and if they are undone it can take years."

"Why don't you give her an antidote?"

"She'd know if I tried, and she would never take another thing I said about the subject seriously. She barely listens to me now."

"May I ask why you are so concerned about her?"

"No girl deserves what she is about to go through. Not to mention you and I have extensive experience with a child of such a union, and I'm not keen on seeing it happen again."

"Do you care for the girl?"

"We are co-workers, and she has grown on me since Hogwarts."

"Do you desire her?"

Severus looked up at him, then quickly away, providing the answer non-verbally.

Lucius was silent and in thought for a long moment. "What can I do to help?"

"You want to help me?"

"I owe both of you a debt that I can hardly repay, but this will be a start. Correct me if I'm wrong, but Ronald Weasley does not seem the type to be able to understand your work, let alone use it to produce a physical product."

"I'm surprised if Ronald Weasley could find his arse with a map and a Point Me spell."

Lucius smirked. "He has to be getting these pills from somewhere. And since he works for the Ministry, it's most likely someone there. That's why you sent me."

"Yes."

"I will get to the bottom of who is supplying him the pills. It will be a challenge, but it's been a while since I've done a bit of espionage."

"Don't get yourself in trouble."

"Do you think I've lost touch with my Slytherin roots?"

"Not hardly."

"Good. Now, you need to work on the girl. Convince her to stop taking those pills, or get her to take an antidote; something to clear her mind."

"She's taken them so long it might take a couple days to fully clear her mind."

"But you said she has some doubts later in the day. Play off those doubts. Show her there is something better out there. Seduce her."

"Seduce her?" he asked in disbelief.

"It's not that hard, old friend," he encouraged. "Someone of your intelligence should have no difficulty figuring out how. If you give her enough doubts, perhaps we can stop this before she's in too deep."


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: This is already the last chapter. I could have gone a lot longer, but it was an exchange fic. Speaking of which... I'm part of another exchange, and I am dealing with a crossover I've never written before. If anyone knows a good beta who would be willing to read an HP/Thor crossover (Hermione/Loki pairing), I would really appreciate a PM with a name *puppy dog eyes*****. (It's for mature readers only, please).  
**

**Thanks for the support and reviews. You guys rock.**

Hermione was in a good mood the next day, and Severus was sure she was still taking the pills. All night he had pondered how to approach her with the information that she had been duped, but hadn't come up with anything that wouldn't make her suspicious. And should Weasley catch wind of a plan he'd convince her to take the private office and have as little contact with Severus as possible. He stayed up late, trying to pry his mind open with firewhiskey and shitty spy novels, but nothing came to him. Luckily for him, she had a visitor barge in an hour before the end of the work day, and with it, a stroke of inspiration, though one that put him ill at ease should it backfire.

"Hermione!" Harry shouted as he invited himself in with a loud bang on the door.

"What?" she came running in from the stores, looking concerned.

"Ginny... She's upstairs," he panted.

"Ginny? What's wrong?" she was already reaching for her purse; ready to hurry up to see her friend.

"She's pregnant," his face suddenly stretched into a wide smile.

"Harry!" she gasped, covering her mouth. "Oh, Harry, that's great news!"

"She's seven weeks along. They did the gender test; I'm going to have a son!"

"That's wonderful, Harry," she threw her arms around him, hugging him tightly.

"I'm sure of it this time. I'm going to vomit," Severus muttered.

"Severus," Hermione chastised, but there was a smile across her face. "It's not like you have to teach Harry's son."

"Thank Merlin, God, and any other deity I may have failed to mention."

"Wouldn't you think congratulation is in order?"

"I suppose. Congratulations, Potter. You and I will be seeing a lot less of each other when you have a miniature version of yourself you have to care for."

"There is that," Harry smiled.

"Have you thought of a name yet?" Hermione asked as Severus opened his mouth.

"I could take an educated guess. I thought it was supposed to be the pregnant woman who felt this much nausea," Severus quipped, turning back to his notes.

"James Sirius," Harry said loudly.

Severus cast a Muffliato spell.

"That's a lovely name," Hermione smiled.

"You'll be godmother?"

"Of course. I'd be honored."

"How's the wedding planning going?"

"We're supposed to go tonight and pick out the cake," she murmured.

"Don't sound so excited about it," he smirked.

Hermione looked over at Severus. "Let's go into the other room," she murmured, leading him into the office and shutting the door.

"Is everything alright?" Harry asked, sounding concerned.

"Yes. Maybe. I don't know. Does everything seem... normal about Ron and me?"

Harry's brow furrowed. "You guys are moving a little faster than I had hope... thought."

"Hoped?"

"Well," he sighed and paused, searching for the right words. "Remember what the two of you were like at Hogwarts?"

She nodded.

"You guys were hot and cold to each other, so often you'd sometimes have a different attitude towards each other before I could realize there was something going on. You've always been kind of like that. It seemed to get better recently, you haven't spent much time not talking, but I could tell when you guys were irritated at each other. When you started dating, I thought the both of you had enough time around each other to know that neither one of you falls in love overnight, but that seems to be what happened. I thought, no, I _hoped_ that if this became more than just dating that it would take years for the two of you to make a decision about the next step. I love you both, but I don't know what's going to happen if you get married and things go south. To be honest, I don't know what would happen if you broke up either way, but you're getting married, you're getting a binding, just a couple months into this. And I don't know what I'd do if you had a tough patch because you're both my mates. I don't want to pick one over the other, but I hated those times where I was with Ron at times and with you at others and we couldn't all be in the same room together."

"Do you think we should wait?"

"I don't think it would hurt to take a step back and move a little slower. Everyone goes through a honeymoon phase at the start of their relationship. Sometimes the feelings don't last."

"Do I seem out of sorts, Harry?"

"What? No! I didn't say..."

"I mean it, Harry," she interrupted softly. "Severus thinks I've been acting a little odd the last few weeks. Have you noticed anything?"

"Honestly? Yes. You've been very impulsive lately, and very defensive of your relationship."

"And you think that's odd for me?"

He sighed, rubbing her arm. "You're loyal, Hermione. You'll defend anyone you love. But before, you knew how to take a bit of a ribbing when it came to who you were seeing. Remember those couple months you spent with Blaise Zabini?"

She nodded, stomach sinking.

"Everyone gave you a hard time for seeing a Slytherin. You'd laugh it off, say he was a good guy, and that was it. Now, if anyone even mentions a difference between you and Ron you're justifying your whole relationship aloud."

She bit her lip and looked down. "Bill thinks we're moving too fast."

"I can see where he's coming from."

"George thinks we're flat out wrong for each other."

Harry ruffled his hair nervously.

"He says I need someone who can keep up with me intellectually, and he needs someone who will be, well, like his Mum."

"I can also see where he's coming from," he said cautiously.

Hermione swallowed the lump in her throat. "Why do you think Ron is pushing marriage this quickly?"

"The romantic reply would be that he knows you're the one. But I know he's under a lot of pressure from his mother to bring a good woman home and settle down. He and Charlie are the only ones who haven't married and, as of today's news, started a family, and Charlie..."

"His boyfriend is pushing him for something permanent," she pointed out.

"That would make Ron the last. Ron doesn't like being last. He's known you for a long time. You'd be a wonderful wife, Hermione. Loyal, caring... Ron's never been one to wait to get something he wants."

"I don't want to be one of his impulse buys, like that racing broom he bought and shelved two months later when the better one came out," she whispered, tearing up.

"You know, nothing is final yet. Perhaps a little time would be best."

"I've been thinking the same thing. But whenever I get the chance to talk to him I'm overcome with a desire to be with him, and it doesn't seem like a bad thing."

"If it's what you want, I'll support you."

"Thank you, Harry," she whispered, hugging him and wiping her eyes with her sleeve. "I shouldn't keep you from Ginny any longer."

"She's keen to go tell her Mum," he nodded.

"Thank you for stopping by to tell me," she smiled as she started to lead him out.

"Anything you need, Hermione, you know where to find me."

"Thanks, Harry. Congratulations again."

"Congratulations, Potter," Severus said without looking at Harry.

"Thanks, Prof... Snape," Harry shot Hermione an awkward smile and left.

"A little Potter," Severus mused aloud. "No doubt as his Godmother you will be plastering the walls with pictures of the thing."

"I think it's part of my duty," she shrugged.

"Why not have your own?" he offered softly, chancing a glance at her.

"What do you mean?" she asked in surprise.

"Potter is having a child. If memory serves me correctly two of your future in-laws are also expecting, and one just had his second baby. Even Longbottom and Lovegood are welcoming children. Wouldn't you want your child to go to school with all of your friends' children? Someone they know and are familiar with."

"I'm not even married."

"How many has that stopped?"

"You hate young children, and parents who decorate their work spaces with pictures of their children annoy you. Why would you encourage me to have one?"

"Because I know what it's like to be a loner at Hogwarts, perhaps?"

"What are you playing at, Severus?" she snapped, hands on her hips. "You have never been afraid to call me out when I am easily irritable when I'm on my cycle, and I know you schedule more meetings during that time to give yourself time away from me. So why would you encourage me to get pregnant, knowing I'll be hormonal for nine..." she trailed off, eyes widening as something occurred to her. _The pills,_ she mouthed.

He gave an almost imperceptible nod. He had just given her the nudge he hoped would give her an excuse to stop taking the pills. Every doubt she had about them came flooding back, and the thought was overwhelming. He was trying to help her, but he knew he had to tread lightly, and she would have to play along.

"But what if I...?" she asked softly, a hand coming to rest on her lower abdomen.

"If it is what I think it is, and what Lucius thinks it is, that is not the reason you haven't yet."

"Lucius? Lucius Malfoy?"

"How many people named Lucius do you know? He is quite active in the Ministry. I have him trying to find out where our stolen method may be being used, but so far he's been unsuccessful, even if the most likely area."

Hermione's eyes widened at the confirmation of her own findings. She nodded absentmindedly. "I think I'm going to take the rest of the afternoon off. I'm not feeling well."

"If you need a potion to feel better, my Floo will be open," he was offering the antidote, and she bit her lip and nodded to let him know she understood.

"Thank you," she muttered, but she still wasn't convinced the whole thing was a product of Severus' paranoia. She tried to put her jacket on, and missed the arm-hole three times before he stood up and swept over to her. He gently took the jacket from her, and held it out behind her to help her into it. As he wrapped it around her chest his fingers began to trail over the fabric, up and over her shoulders, and she tilted her head so they brushed her cheek. "For everything," she whispered, before leaving.

She took the Floo to her flat and made a beeline for the medicine cabinet. She popped the pill she was supposed to take that day onto the counter and stared at it, unable to stop the debate raging in her head. The questions came for what felt like hours. Did Ron check her pills to make sure she took them? Is that why he asked to make sure she still took them? She didn't want to betray his trust, but what if he had already betrayed hers? The wedding was just a couple weeks away. She didn't have time to think things through. What would happen if she woke up one day and realized she didn't love her husband like she had when she went to bed? What if, Merlin forbid, a child was brought into the world as she tried to sort out her feelings.

Using the bottom of a cup, she smashed the pill and bent low to smell the particles. Freshly cut grass, parchment, and a seductive combination of fresh potions ingredients. Her Amortentia smell. It was so faint, she wondered if her brain was just playing tricks on her. But her hands were trembling as she drew her wand and pointed it at the destroyed pill.

"_Evanesco_," she whispered, and it vanished. She shoved the rest of the pack back into her medicine cabinet as she heard Ron let himself in through her front door. She rushed to see him, but when she saw him, the usual elation at seeing him didn't wash over her. Instead, she found her stomach dropping as a mixture of happiness and doubt washed over her.

"Afternoon, love," he stepped forward to give her a kiss and dropped his robes on her couch.

"How was work?" she asked, trying to sound as normal as possible, though even she could tell her voice sounded upset.

"It was good. More of the same. I'm only here a few minutes. I'm going to the Cannons game tonight with Seamus and Dean."

"Oh," she nodded.

"Is that a problem?"

"No. I just thought we were going to pick out the cake together. Our appointment is in an hour."

"I don't need to be there for that, do I?"

"You just said you wanted to go."

"I trust you, Hermione," he smiled. "You'll find something nice. Maybe in Gryffindor colors."

"Okay," she murmured with a quick nod.

"Thanks, love," he smiled, going into her room to get a Cannons shirt he kept in her closet.

"Do you think we're moving too quickly?" she asked, standing in the doorway.

"What do you mean?" he asked, stripping off his work clothes and starting to pull on a pair of jeans and the shirt.

"I mean this wedding. Don't you think it's awfully fast?"

"It's right, isn't it? We're in love, why wait?"

"Are you sure we're going to be in love in six months or a year?"

"Are you not?"

"I'm not saying that. I'm just worried that we're still in the honeymoon phase and that things will be a lot different as the relationship matures."

"You're just getting cold feet," he said, waving her off. "Everyone gets nervous before their wedding."

"That's probably it." She bit her lip and looked down.

"That's it. I'll stop by later tonight. You can tell me about the cake you're going to pick out. Maybe Ginny or Luna will go with you."

"Maybe."

"Have fun, I love you." He kissed her forehead and went to her front door, but when he opened it there was a delivery man standing on the other side, poised to knock.

"I got a package for Er-Maya-Nee Granger. That you?" the man said, looking past Ron to Hermione.

"Yes," she nodded, stepping forward to sign for the box. Ron's brow furrowed as she collected it and took it to her couch.

"Who is sending you a package?" he asked, closing the door.

"I don't know," she said, examining the outside. "There's no name on it."

"Why didn't they just owl it to you?"

"Don't know," she shook her head.

"Open it," he encouraged, though it sounded demanding.

She pried the box open, finding something wrapped in a cloth inside. Carefully, she unwrapped the cloth, finding a single red rose and an old book on potions she had been admiring at Flourish and Blotts, but couldn't justify buying with her wedding expenses.

"Oh, my," she whispered, picking it up in awe and turning it over in her hands, hardly believing the gift.

"What is that?"

"The book I've been wanting for a while. You... you didn't get this for me?"

"You want a million different books. How am I supposed to know which one you want most?"

"I told you about it the other day in Diagon Alley, when we were visiting Madam Malkins," she frowned.

"Hermione, I was busy. I knew you were talking about books, I don't know which one."

"I just thought..."

"Who sent it?" he demanded.

"I don't know. There's no note."

"Well, who else did you tell about it?"

"No one," she replied quickly, but she had mentioned the book to Severus, asking if he had a copy, hoping he'd lend it to her and help her resist her temptation.

"Someone just randomly sent you a book and a rose?" he asked angrily.

"If I knew where it came from I'd tell you!" she snapped.

"Well, take it back to Flourish and Blotts and ask them."

"I don't think they're going to tell me..."

"Go and ask, because I don't like this," he growled, grabbing the rose and throwing it on the floor, making sure to step on it as he walked out, slamming the door behind him.

She carefully placed the book down before picking up the rose. Clutching it to her chest, she sat on the floor and wept.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

Ron didn't come over after the game, and Hermione was grateful for the solitude. She needed some time apart to work up the courage for what she was going to do. The next morning, she walked into work and walked over to Severus.

"Help me," she whispered

"You stopped them?" he asked softly.

"Yes."

"But the feelings are still there?"

She nodded. "I feel like I'm in a fog. I don't feel right, Severus. I want to think clearly."

He reached into his robes and pulled out a small phial of a deep purple liquid.

"You should go upstairs for monitoring before you take that," he said softly. "Going off the potion too quickly after long-term exposure can sometimes lead to violent outbursts or suicidal feelings. They'll help you through the first few hours and provide you a professional to talk to."

"Did you send me the book?" she asked.

"Yes."

"Why?"

"You wanted it."

"You had no reason or need to give me a present."

"Do not be so sure, Hermione."

"What..." she started but the door burst open, and Lucius strode in, prodding a cowering boy Hermione recognized as a Slytherin from four years before hers in front of him.

"Severus, Miss Granger," Lucius nodded to her, and she was surprised to see him shoot her a sympathetic look. While the Malfoys had certainly been civil to her, they had hardly shown her friendship.

"Lucius," Severus nodded. "Impeccable timing. And Sabastian Daley. I've got a feeling this will not be a pleasant meeting."

"Does she know?" Lucius asked, eyebrow raising.

"She stopped taking the pills last night."

"Then I should welcome you back to the world of the free-thinkers," he nodded. "I invited someone else to our little meeting... ah, here he is. Good morning, Minister."

"Kingsley," Hermione squeaked as he entered the room, looking irritated and confused.

"You told me there is a situation that the Ministry, and that I had to meet you here. This is quite unorthodox, Mister Malfoy," Kingsley barked with no greetings save for a nod at Hermione.

"The situation involves individuals from at least two different departments of the Ministry, one of whom is high-profile, Minister," Lucius said, with respect thick in his voice. "I thought a meeting away from prying ears was in order."

"And the basement potions office of St. Mungos is the place for this meeting?"

"It is traditional for investigators to go to the victim of a crime, is it not?"

"And who is the victim?" he asked, eyes shooting to Severus.

"Miss Granger."

"Hermione?" his vocal demeanor changed, suddenly sounding paternal and concerned.

"I think it would be best to let Mister Daley inform all of us about his dealings with Mister Ronald Weasley now," he growled, poking Sabastian's back, causing him to yelp.

"Ron came to me about four months back," he confessed, looking at his feet. "He knew I was interested in potions, and that I work with them in the Department of Mysteries. He offered to give me the method to turn a potion into a pill, and some money, if I would also use the information to turn Amortentia into a pill form for him. I take several potions a day, after I was injured in the war, and most of them taste foul. The pills are so much more tolerable..."

He was cut off by Hermione's sobs as she sunk into her chair, and Severus rushed to her.

Desperate for comfort she threw herself into his arms, tears flowing onto his robes.

"What was his purpose for getting those pills made?" Kingsley continued.

"He said the girl he wanted would recognize any attempt to give her the potion, but because the pills are odorless and tasteless. He wanted me to disguise them as birth control pills, because the girl mentioned she didn't like taking the potion for that."

"Does anyone else know about your arrangement?"

"No," Sebastian shook his head. "Just Weasley and me ."

"You do know what you did was illegal?"

"Yes, Minister."

"I will be placing you under arrest, and you will be going in front of the Wizengamot. As of right now, you are relieved of your position. My main concern right now is Miss Granger. Hermione, have you stopped taking the pills?"

"I did," she nodded, not letting go of Severus. "I brought them with me today."

"May I have them?"

Severus handed her purse to her, and she held the pills out for Kingsley, who placed them in a small box and concealed them in his robes.

"How do you want to proceed, Hermione?" he asked kindly.

"I... I don't know..." she whimpered.

"I have given Miss Granger the antidote, and she was about to go upstairs for observation after taking it. I would suggest we not proceed until she is completely out of the influence of the potion. She has been exposed to it for the last couple months. The next few days will most likely be confusing and hectic."

"I understand," Kingsley nodded. "You are aware that I must put Ronald under arrest as well."

"I don't want anyone to go to Azkaban," she said quickly.

"Miss Granger, you have no obligation to show compassion..." Lucius muttered.

"Don't misunderstand me, Mister Malfoy," she said quickly. "I am angrier than I have been in a very long time. However, I do not think anyone should go to jail over this. I hate Azkaban, and you should know better than anyone here how horrible it is to be stuck in that place. Do I think they should lose their jobs? Absolutely. They should be exposed for what they did, and they should go through the legal process to go on a formal probation, but I do not want anyone in jail for this. I just want him gone, and to not see him for a while."

"Is she always like this?" he turned to Severus.

"She is the one who ensured I was not to go to jail. I think anyone short of the Dark Lord himself is not worthy of a stay in prison."

Hermione let out a choked chuckle.

"If that is your wish, Miss Granger, I will respect it," Kingsley nodded. "I will keep in touch."

"I'll talk to you tomorrow," she nodded.

Kingsley took Sebastian and left. Lucius looked uncomfortably at Hermione.

"You are a good woman, Miss Granger," he murmured.

"You are," Severus agreed.

"Good luck." Lucius bowed and swept from the room.

"Come on, Hermione. I'll take you upstairs," Severus said, standing and holding a hand out.

"Do you think I'm a fool, Severus?" she asked as she let him help her up and lead her from the room.

"I would be a fool to think it."

XXXXXXXXX

The next few weeks went by in a whirlwind. Hermione broke down after taking the antidote, and was admitted to the hospital for the night for rest. When Ron showed up, it was only Severus' quick thinking in taking her wand that prevented her from hexing him. Before he had a chance to leave, he was arrested and taken to the Ministry.

The _Evening Prophet _ran the story as front-page news, and when she went home the next day, she found a pile of mail from supporters waiting for her. She promptly burned the lot. She put in her vacation time, and spent a few weeks in isolation, emerging only to testify in front of the Wizengamot.

Ron and Sebastian were sentenced to probation, and if you asked the Weasleys, it served them right and they were lucky Hermione was compassionate. She took a long weekend in France alone, spent some time with Harry, quietly canceled all the wedding plans, and waited for the situation to die down.

Severus gave her space, but needed her signature on a few things, and decided to visit her at her apartment on a Friday after work a little over three weeks after the incident.

"It's good to see you again, Severus," she said, serving tea after inviting him in.

"How are you?" he asked cautiously.

"As well as can be expected, I guess," she shrugged, sitting next to him. "At least this time the _Prophet_ isn't making me a demon."

"Are you still reading it?"

"No. I stopped about a week ago. I was sick of them covering the same thing."

"They've moved on. Marcus Flint and Gwenog Jones were caught coming out of a shady motel together. You're officially old news."

"Good," she smiled.

"Who sent you the flowers?" he asked, nodding towards a large bouquet on her table. He noticed that, in the midst of the white a purple blooms was a single red rose- the one he had sent with the book.

"George Weasley. And if you smell them you go into one of his daydream charms. He did warn me about that, so don't say the Weasleys are starting to pick up a bad habit. He just thought I might need a bit of a pick-me-up."

"Did it work?"

"You're assuming I've used them."

"I thought that, since you mentioned what they did, you had indulged."

"I was merely warning you."

"Because I am constantly smelling flowers?"

"I don't know what you do in your personal time, and I'm not sure I want to know."

"Read mostly," he shrugged. "Hardly the scandal of the year."

"It would be if the press realized it was a book that made me finally realize that what I was feeling for Ron wasn't love."

"One of those ridiculous self-help books?"

"Do I look like the type to read self-help books?"

"No. You look like the type to correct them."

"It was the book you sent me. I realized when I got it that Ron didn't really know me. And even after I didn't take that pill part of me loved him. But I realized that I didn't love him like someone is supposed to love the person they're going to marry. I loved him the way I loved him at school."

"Even after what he did to you?"

"I'm not going to forgive him for a long time, and I'll probably never take any food or drink from him again, but we have a lot of history, most of it good."

"You are forgiving to a fault."

"Perhaps I am. I believe in second chances."

They sat in silence for a long moment before she looked up into his eyes. "There was something else that night I realized."

"What?"

"That I should have taken a chance on something I wanted a long time before Ron ever came into the picture."

"What would that be?"

She responded by leaning forward to press her lips to his, and he immediately responded, reaching up to wind a hand in her hair and hold her to him as their lips moved together as though it was not their first time. When they parted, she was smiling.

"I guess that means you will be taking me to dinner."

"If you start seeing a Potions Master after what you went through people are going to think you are being slipped Amortentia again."

"I know better," she whispered before kissing him again.


End file.
